Movember

To support Movember, Vancouver Island Brewery, Hillside Liquor Store and Hillside Romeo's have joined forces with a special tasting event on Friday November 27th.

The tasting runs from 4-8 pm, and will feature Piper's Pale Ale, the official beer of Movember, where partial proceeds from the sale of Piper's Pale Ale are donated to Prostate Cancer Research and awareness.

Not sure what Movember is? Movember is moustache month, where men grow some truly terrible moustaches and have their friends and family donate money to the Prostate Cancer awareness and research funds.

During the Piper's Pale Ale tasting, Vancouver Island Brewery will have moustaches available for $5, which will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Research fund.

As well, Hillside Liquor Store and Hillside Romeo's have teamed up with a special draw, with the winner awarded a $25 gift certificate to Hillside Liquor Store and a $25 gift certificate to the Hillside Romeo's restaurant.

Piper's Pale Ale has a deep copper hue and a medium body that bursts with ample Pacific Northwest hop character. Crafted with roasted caramel malt and Willamette hops, Piper’s Pale Ale pours with a finely beaded amber coloured head. With an elegantly crisp flavour and a dry fruity hop finish, Piper’s has become the Island’s favourite Northwest Pale Ale.

To check out more of Vancouver Island Brewery, click here: http://www.vanislandbrewery.com/default.aspx?PageID=1000

Romeo's restaurants has been open in Victoria since 1974, and have been voted best pizza and Italian food repeatedly. Everything is prepared from scratch using the freshest and finest quality ingredients. Romeo's proudly supports the community through donations to the Vancouver Island and Victoria Greek Community Society, CFAX and the United Way as well as hosting a yearly pancake breakfast for Santa’s Anonymous and most recently hosting a fund raising breakfast for Cops for Cancer.
Romeo's also supports the Cordova Bay and Lake Hill Soccer Associations as well as other community fund raising events through donations of gift certificates, team sponsorships and advertising in school yearbooks. To learn more about Romeo's or to check out their menu, please click here: http://www.romeosplace.com/index.htm

Moustaches, beer tasting and contests are just three more reasons to visit Hillside Liquor Store on Friday November 27.

Oh, don't forget to look for the Hillside Liquor Store employee with the "fingerstache" that she had tattooed in support of Movember.

Saturday Tasting

Kelowna's Mt Boucherie Winery will be in the house at Hillside Liquor Store on Saturday November 28th.

Mt Boucherie Estate Winery was established in 2001, and is family-owned and operated. The Gidda family has grown grapes in the Okanagan since 1968, and now have vineyards in Cawston (Similkameen area), West Kelowna and Okanagan Falls. All of the red wines, white wines, icewines and dessert wines that Mt Boucherie produces are from estate-grown grapes. The 20,000 sq foot facility is open year-round to visitors.

Can't make it to Kelowna this year? Come join David Leigh at Hillside Liquor Store from 4-8 pm, and sample the 2008 Chardonnay (unoaked), the 2008 Gewurztraminer and the 2006 Merlot.

2008 Unoaked Chardonnay:

Produced from our estate grown grapes this slightly off-dry, unoaked white wine displays lively aromas and flavours of cantaloupe, pear, green apple and a touch of honey. A fresh, crisp white with a long refreshing finish. Pair with grilled seafood and seasonal salads.

2008 Gewurztraminer:
Intense aromas and flavours of lychee nut, rose petals and passion fruit followed by a clean refreshing off-dry finish. Classic match with spicier cuisine or on its own.

2006 Merlot:

Aromas of dark plums, dark chocolate, vanilla and gamey notes. Ripe blackberries, cassis and a hint of black pepper tantalize the palate. A rich mouth-feel, good structure and round tannins lead to a long and smooth finish. Enjoy with grilled steak or bison.

Instant Summer- a fireplace and BLL

Tired of wet, soggy weather? Wish summer was back?

Hillside Liquor Store can help. From 4-8 pm Friday November 20th, come on in and try Bud Light Lime- the beer of Summer 2009!

Bud Light Lime is a lower-alcohol lime flavoured beer- perfect for bringing back fond memories of hot sunny weather, swimming in lakes or lounging poolside. In fact, if you happen to have a fireplace, get it cracklin', close your eyes and sip on the BLL(that's what those in the know call it)- instant summer!

Just like its big brother Budweiser, Bud Light Lime is made with about 80% rice, barley malt, hops, yeast and water. It also contains 100% natural lime flavour, which is added to the beer after it has been brewed. A bottle of BLL has 116 calories, and 8 grams of carbs- slightly higher than Bud Light due to the lime flavour.
Bud Light Lime has a strong lime flavour with a hint of the typical Bud Light flavour. The website claims that it pairs perfectly with spicy grilled meats or fresh fruit and vegetables, or just icy-cold by itself. Why not come in and see for yourself?

South Africa Set

Don't know whether to give red or white wine as a gift? Now you don't have to decide- Obikwa's gift set has both!

This South African wine gift set comes with two bottles of wine-Obikwa Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc- and hand-made wooden salad servers with inlaid tribal art.

The Obikwa brand pays tribute to the intrepid Obiqua people of the 1600's, who had ostriches as companions (hence the ostrich on the label) and settled in the Breede River Valley below the Obiqua mountains, about 100 km north of Cape Town.

The Obikwa Shiraz is a New-World style, fresh fruity shiraz with lots of berry fruit and pepper. Enjoyed by those who like Yellow Tail, this pairs with bbq, grilled meats, curries or even by itself.

The Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc shows lots of guava, tropical fruit and grapefruit aromas and flavours with a crisp, zesty finish. Pair with white fish, salads or a hot day- not many of those around in winter, but drinking this wine will put you back in a summer state-of-mind!

Di Saronno Dishes

From Italian Amaretto producer Di Saronno comes the Di Saronno gift set- one 750 ml bottle of Di Saronno Amaretto and two Italian designed mini-bowls. These mini-bowls are square in design and would hold biscotti or other snacks perfectly.

Di Saronno describes its amaretto as an infusion of "apricot kernel oil" with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits". The amber liqueur is presented in a rectangular glass decanter designed by a craftsman from Murano. According to the Di Saronno website, their Amaretto contains no almonds, and is nut-free.

Di Saronno is great over ice, but can also be used in a variety of cocktails. For cocktail recipes containing Di Saronno, click here:

http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/browse_cocktails.php?type=ing&ing_id=24

Jack Daniel's

Jack Daniel's Old No.7 Tennessee whisky has released a holiday gift set- one 750 ml (or 26 oz) bottle of Jack Daniels and a metal belt buckle. Sounds like the perfect stocking stuffer!

Jack Daniel's Old No.7 is Tennessee whisky, which is sour mash whisky, rather than Kentucky bourbon. The difference is that Tennessee whisky undergoes a filtering stage called the Lincoln County process in which the whisky is filtered through a thick layer of maple charcoal before it is put into casks for aging. The Lincoln County process is what gives Tennessee whisky its distinctive flavour.

Glenmorangie Gift!

Didn't get Victoria Whisky fest tickets this year? Don't despair, there are any number of whisky gift sets available this year so that you can hold your own mini whisky festival.

One of the best that we have seen is the new Glenmorangie Gift set, featuring four different 100ml bottles, and retailing for $60.

The Glenmorangie Gift set features the Ten Year Old, the Lasanta, the Quinta Ruban and the Nectar D'or.

Since 1843, Glenmorangie distillery has been producing its famous malt on the shores of the Dornoch Firth. Though the complex of buildings has seen many changes over the years, Glenmorangie is still handcrafted to this day by the Sixteen Men of Tain using tried and tested methods that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Glenmorangie Ten Year Old
It has been called ‘the perfect ten’ and most Glenmorangie drinkers will readily drink to that! After 10 years in ex-Bourbon casks, the Glenmorangie spirit has had enough time to mature and mellow into a beautifully balanced yet marvellously complex malt whisky. Aromas are light and delicate, floral with traces of citrus and vanilla, with a light smokiness, too. The flavours are beautifully balanced, with honeyed nuts coming through.

Glenmorangie Lasanta

Glenmorangie Lasanta is an elegant and full-bodied single malt whisky that has been extra matured in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks after a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon casks. Its luscious, soft mouth filling texture, and its deep, enticing, sweet aroma appeals to luxury spirit drinkers who like to experiment, and whose confident choices, warmth and passion inspire the mood of the group. Non chill-filtered and with an ABV of 46%, its key flavour notes are of toffee, raisins and walnuts.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is a velvety-textured single malt whisky, for confident, colourful, dynamic luxury spirit drinkers who like to take the lead.
A mature Glenmorangie that is transferred from the original ex-bourbon cask and then extra matured or ‘finished’ in port pipes, shipped from the ‘Quintas’ or wine estates of Portugal. Maturation in ruby port pipes develops The Quinta Ruban into a voluptuously smooth spirit with a complex balance of sweet and dry flavours that engage the entire palate and envelope it in a intriguing balance of smooth velvet and crisp, cooling textures.
With an ABV of 46%, its dominant tastes are rich, chocolaty and minty.

Glenmorangie Nectar D'or

A captivating single malt whisky for the sophisticated luxury spirits drinker who enjoys delicious extravagance and sensual pleasures. With a tremendous 'gourmand' appeal, The Nectar D'or is Glenmorangie's delicious, complex base spirit, that after a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, is then extra matured in specialty hand selected Sauternes wine barriques. This makes it rich and sumptuous with a heady, luscious, beguiling spectrum of aromatic patisserie desserts that helps create a memorable occasion whenever it is enjoyed. 'Or" means gold in both Gaelic and French while of course 'Nectar' is the drink of the Gods. Non chill-filtered and with an ABV of 46%, its key flavour notes are lemony, sumptuous and syrupy.

Wychwood's Winter Ware

Britain's Wychwood Brewing has just released a perennial holiday favourite- the Hobgoblin gift set!

This year's set includes the decorated metal tube, one bottle of Hobgoblin Ale and a beer glass! These are extremely limited in quantity, so get yours now to avoid disappointment.

Wychwood Brewing is named after the legendary Wych Wood forest, and is Britain's largest producer of organic ales.

Hobgoblin is strong in roasted malt with a moderate hoppy bitterness and slight fruity character that lasts through to the end.
The ruby red coloured Hobgoblin is full-bodied and has a delicious chocolate toffee malt flavour balanced with a rounded moderate bitterness and an overall fruity character.

Absolut-ly holiday time!

The holiday season is ABSOLUT-ly coming, and savvy shoppers start getting ready now with all the great holiday releases.
Sweden's Absolut Vodka company has been creating different packaging for their standard vodka for years- there has been Absolut Disco (an actual mirrorball casing), Absolut Bling ('gold'-plated casing), partnerships with artists...
This year, there are two new Absolut designs- Absolut Vancouver and Absolut Celebration (also known as Absolut Blue Disco).
First up is Absolut Vancouver, which is the first Canadian city to be chosen as part of the Absolut Cities campaign.
Absolut Vancouver was designed by local graphic artist Douglas Fraser, which features a yellow and blue seaplane soaring above the Vancouver skyline, and up to $120,000 in proceeds will go towards a new Vancouver arts project. The winner of the Vancouver arts project will be decided by online vote in March 2010, and the five finalists can be found here: http://www.absolutvancouver.ca/contest/
This vodka retails for $1 more than regular Absolut Vodka, but it's for a good cause, and there are only 120,000 bottles available, exclusive to BC.

Absolut Celebration is also in-stores for a limited time. This features a shiny blue mirror-ball case over an original Absolut vodka bottle. The case can then be suspended from the ceiling, and used as an actual mirror-ball. Fun!

Black Grouse spotted in BC!

The rare Black Grouse has been spotted in BC! Although Black Grouse is an endangered bird found in Scotland, we are actually talking about the much anticipated arrival of Black Grouse whisky, the newest release from The Famous Grouse Whisky Company. Black Grouse has been on the market in Europe and the UK for a couple of years, but has just made its way to Canada.

Jim Murray, whisky guru, has called the Black Grouse "The best new blended whisky", giving it a score of 94/100 in his 2008 edition Whisky Bible.

The Black Grouse is a blend of The Famous Grouse and peated Islay (pronounced Eye-luh) whisky. The nose has a bit of peaty/smoke and follows with some sweetness and a bit of malt- it kind of smells like high-end tequila. The palate is smoky sweet with hints of cocoa and spice with a long gentle smokiness and a bit of oak on the finish. This is a nice, fairly complex scotch for sipping, and provides great value as compared to higher-end single malts. Delicious!

To learn more about the Black Grouse (both the whisky and the rare bird), click here: http://www.black-grouse.com/

Remembrance Day

Hillside Liquor Store wishes to thank all those who have served for our country, and allowed the citizens of Canada to enjoy the freedom that we find today.

Hillside Liquor Store is OPEN all day long on Wednesday November 11, 9:30 am to 11 pm.

Government Liquor Store prices and a wide variety of products not found in government stores!

Don't forget 2 pieces of ID!





Questions? 250-370-1143 or info@hillsideliquorstore.com

Mandated by Mendeleev!!!

What better pedigree is there for a vodka then being from Russia?

Well, how about Russian Standard Vodka, which uses the original recipe from 1894, as created by Dmitri Mendeleev, the creator of the Periodic Table of Elements, as well as a chemist and inventor. He was also the Director of the Bureau of Weights and Measures, where he was tasked to formulate new state standards for the production of vodka, where he developed the formula and perfect proof for Russia's national drink.

But enough about him, we are here to talk about vodka!

Russian Standard Vodka is created using water from Lake Ladoga. The largest lake in Europe and a natural landmark unto itself, Lake Ladoga spans more than 17,000 square kilometers, and about 219 km in length from north to south. The history of this lake could be said to be a crystallized form of Russia's own history: some historians even consider a town on the southern estuary of the lake, Staraya Ladoga (Old Ladoga) to be the first capital of ancient Russia.
Home to some of the softest water on Earth, Lake Ladoga is the source of water for all Russian Standard vodkas.

The Russian Black Steppes are renowned throughout history as having some of the richest, most fertile soil around. The hardy wheat is planted in the fall, before the first snow falls. During the winter months, the wheat matures slowly, gaining strength and protein, with the blankets of snow acting as a protection. Russian Standard's experts hand select only the finest grain from the best crops around to ensure a subtle hint of wheat in the production of the premium vodkas.

Russian Standard Original Vodka is distilled 4 times, and also filtered 4 times through charcoal. This allows the vodka to be super-smooth, but also to retain a subtly-sweet wheat flavour. Once the spirit has been filtered, it is left to rest for 48 hours in a relaxation tank to achieve the perfect equilibrium of 40% alcohol, as mandated by Mendeleev.

To learn more about Russian Standard Vodka, click here: http://www.russianstandardvodka.com/en/

This vodka is seriously delicious! It was first tasted neat, and it actually does have a slight sweetness and light wheat flavour, and is exceptionally smooth.

Next, it was tasted as an integral part of the Moscow Mule cocktail, made with Russian Standard vodka, ginger beer, lime, angostura bitters, and this version had fresh mint. Absolutely outstanding! The Russian Standard contributed a pleasing sweetness and a silky mouthfeel.

Finally, an interesting fact about Russian Standard vodka:

It shouldn't be stored in the freezer, as the extreme cold begins to un-do the distillation process and causes the vodka to lose its sweet flavours and aromas.

Za Vas! (Pronounced Zuh vahs) meaning: To You!

BrewDog Riptide Stout

Just arrived at Hillside Liquor Store is a new single beer, the BrewDog RipTide Twisted Merciless Stout, from Scotland. 8% alcohol, 330ml, $4.25.

"A strong, silky smooth imperial stout with a deep, dark ruby appearance. Mocha, bitter chocolate, liquorice and dark cherry flavours prevail, before the balanced, warming and encapsulating finish.
A contemporary Scottish take on an age old Russian classic style originally brewed for the Tsars. Our interpretation brings together hops from both sides of the Atlantic, amazing flavoured malts and dark sugars."

Drinking Riptide Stout straight from Hillside's fridge does not allow all the complex flavours to shine through, so let it warm up to the point that it is only slightly cool. Warming it up allows the savoury-bacon like note to balance out the dark chocolate, coffee and liquorice flavours.

Enjoy!